PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine voters on Tuesday rejected a set of Republican-backed modifications to the state’s voting procedures which were animating conservatives throughout the nation.
The Maine initiative centered on voter ID and absentee balloting modifications and was certainly one of two GOP-led measures — the opposite in Texas — into consideration by voters that proponents stated would safeguard elections. The Maine proposal would have applied a photograph ID requirement for voters, restricted the usage of drop containers for returning accomplished ballots and made modifications to the state’s absentee voting system.
In the meantime, voters in Texas, the place Republicans management the federal government, accepted a proposal to amend the state structure so as to add “persons who are not citizens of the United States” to the record of these excluded from taking part in elections.
Opponents of the measures had argued that they have been supposed to make voting harder or deal with points that aren’t main issues.
Voters determined the measures at a time when President Donald Trump and nationwide Republicans have pushed for brand spanking new voting restrictions. Each initiatives are a part of a nationwide Republican push to enact strict voter ID legal guidelines and spotlight the exceedingly uncommon drawback of noncitizen voting.
Nationwide Democrats heralded the defeat of the Maine proposal as a victory for voting rights.
“Question 1 would have ended absentee voting as we know it, further diluting the voting rights of people with disabilities, seniors, and working Mainers who are unable to take the day off from work to vote,” stated Democratic Nationwide Committee Chair Ken Martin.
Proponents of the Maine voting proposal had accused Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, a Democrat, of writing the poll query in a intentionally complicated manner. They took that argument to the state’s highest courtroom and misplaced in July. On Tuesday, the marketing campaign for voter ID stated in a press release that Bellows “weaponized” the poll query and opponents of the initiative ran a fear-based marketing campaign.
“The opposition claimed that Question 1 would get rid of absentee voting, and centered their campaign on that fiction. Instead of honestly debating the merits of Voter ID, they spread lies and fear, convincing voters to vote against their own interests,” the marketing campaign stated in a press release.
Maine Gov. Janet Mills was certainly one of many Democrats within the state who spoke out towards the voter ID initiative. She stated she noticed it much less as an opportunity to shore up elections and extra as an assault on the appropriate to vote itself.
AP Picture/Robert F. Bukaty, Fle
The Maine proposal said that it additionally would remove two days of absentee voting, prohibit requests for absentee ballots by telephone or relations and finish ongoing absentee voter standing for seniors and folks with disabilities, amongst different modifications.
The initiative was thought of as Maine investigates an allegation that dozens of unmarked ballots, supposed to be used on this yr’s election, have been found inside a girl’s Amazon order. The secretary of state’s legislation enforcement division is investigating the invention with help from the FBI and different state authorities, Bellows has stated.
The Texas proposal arrived as Republicans within the state have additionally pushed for proof-of-citizenship proposals for voters. A Texas Senate invoice on the topic failed to achieve full legislative approval earlier than lawmakers adjourned in June.
Republican state Rep. A.J. Louderback, who pushed for the modification, stated he believes the Texas vote sends a transparent message to the U.S. concerning the significance of making certain that solely residents vote.
“I hope it’s a very serious turning point in the direction this is going,” he stated in a phone interview. “Hopefully, the rest of the nation will follow.”
Veronikah Warms, voting-rights coverage lawyer for the Texas Civil Rights Challenge, stated the modification was a pretext for undermining confidence “in our democratic process” and for vilifying immigrants.
Voters in Texas already should attest to being a citizen after they register to vote. Fourteen different states have tried comparable citizenship voting poll initiatives lately, and all of them handed simply. Extra are anticipated subsequent yr.
Voting by noncitizens is already unlawful and punishable with a felony and attainable deportation. A handful of cities throughout the nation enable noncitizens to vote in sure native elections.
Hanna reported from Topeka, Kansas.
